The Paris Accord
is a near worthless
voluntary agreement,
with no penalties
for missing
CO2 targets.
It will accomplish
almost nothing
to slow global
CO2 emissions,
just like prior,
similar, agreements.
Like prior agreements,
it was just virtue signaling,
but this time attached
to a "green slush fund",
to which "generous"
(stupid) Barack Obama
contributed a billion dollars.
Over two years ago,
President Trump
particularly infuriated
Germany and France
( and probably the rest of the EU )
by declaring his
intentions to pull
the US out of the
Paris Climate Accord.
Trump made the
initial announcement,
on June 1, 2017 ,
from the Rose Garden
of the White House.
Many accused Trump
of abandoning America's
role of "global leadership"
There was a two year
waiting period
for starting an "official"
year-long withdrawal
process.
The earliest possible
official withdrawal date
is now November 4, 2020.
Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo officially
began the yearlong process,
according to a statement
released by his office.
Pompeo said the US quit
the agreement because
of the "undue economic
burden" placed on us.
He said our economy
meaningfully reduced
its CO2 emissions
without adhering
to the deal's precepts.
For generating electricity,
lower cost natural gas
has been replacing coal,
which causes more pollution.
Pompeo added that
the US's "approach"
toward lowering emissions
"incorporates the realities
of the global energy mix."